For almost seventy years the Orthodox Observer has been delivering the message and work of the Church to people in America and around the world. Archbishop Athenagoras established the Observer in 1934 as a monthly publication, and the first issue in its current format as a newspaper was published in October of 1971. Throughout its history, it has provided a wide range of news and information about the Church, its ministries, and the activities of its many communities to a readership that now exceeds 500,000.

True to its goals, the newspaper has become part of the life of Greek Orthodox faithful. It bridges the enormous distances between the numerous communities of the Archdiocese, reaches the unchurched, and helps nurture a Greek Orthodox identity among parishioners as it keeps them informed about a multitude of subjects. The Observer’s bilingual content addresses and affirms this identity.

Each issue presents to readers current news and events from the Archdiocese, as well as from the Metropolises, parishes, ministries, and organizations. Standard sections focus on the ministry of the Ecumenical Patriarch and other Orthodox jurisdictions in America and around the world. Feature articles and columns provide spiritual guidance and theological insights. As the official newspaper of the Archdiocese, the Observer publishes encyclicals, statements, and policies as they are issued.

Through the years, the Observer has undergone many changes and improvements. One result has been the dramatic rise in its readership from a circulation of about 45,000 issues in the 70’s to the current circulation of approximately 140,000.

A new effort to improve the cost effectiveness as well as the contents and the overall appearance of the Observer has been undertaken in recent years. The publication is produced entirely in-house, with substantial and immediate savings in its production costs and its overall cost to the Archdiocese. This also makes it possible to include in each issue more timely articles and news items, as well as high quality graphics and visual highlights.

In 2005, attention was given to updating the subscription database and mailing list. Further efforts will be focused on increasing advertising and sponsorship revenue to offset the costs of providing this ministry to the faithful of the Church in America.

The Orthodox Observer is also available on the web site of the Archdiocese (www.observer.goarch.org). Each issue is published in its entirety on the site as a PDF document (Adobe Acrobat) for viewing, downloading, or printing. Plans are progressing for the production of a complete electronic edition of the Observer that will be integrated with the current publication. This on-line version will be a virtual magazine providing Orthodox Christians with daily and weekly news and information.

Following the vision of His Eminence Archbishop Demetrios, the Orthodox Observer is striving to enhance the ministries of the Church, to edify the faithful, and to provide a regular source of information about Orthodox Christianity and the global scope and mission of the Orthodox Church. In this task the Observer will remain a vital means of communication and will continue to facilitate the unity and growth of the Church.